Discovery BoxMatthew 12:44 
Context12:44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’ 1 When it returns, 2 it finds the house 3 empty, swept clean, and put in order. 4
Matthew 13:36
Context13:36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
Matthew 15:29
Context15:29 When he left there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up a mountain, where he sat down.
Matthew 22:25
Context22:25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children he left his wife to his brother.
Matthew 25:41
Context25:41 “Then he will say 5 to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels!
Matthew 26:56
Context26:56 But this has happened so that 6 the scriptures of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.
1 tn Grk “I will return to my house from which I came.”
2 tn Grk “comes.”
3 tn The words “the house” are not in Greek but are implied.
4 sn The image of the house empty, swept clean, and put in order refers to the life of the person from whom the demon departed. The key to the example appears to be that no one else has been invited in to dwell. If an exorcism occurs and there is no response to God, then the way is free for the demon to return. Some see the reference to exorcism as more symbolic; thus the story’s only point is about responding to Jesus. This is possible and certainly is an application of the passage.
5 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
6 tn Grk “But so that”; the verb “has happened” is implied.
